The Toronto Star will not let up on Chief Blair and the mishandled citizens by cops who hid their name plates.

But whose fault was this? And forget about Harper. Although I think it should have been just the G8... the rest way up north... with the polar bears.

Didn't they know that something would happen by protestors and the unions? I think in every nation that the G20 was held there were problems.

The first day, when the anarchists and destructive protestors, action should have been ordered. Not just watch the humiliation. The next day a few disgruntled officers might have over-reacted with a few. But, frankly, I would never go to such a thing. Nevertheless, protesting is part of demcocracy.

Union leaders would demand that members be right there, pardon me encourage them, and not help the police.

Did the Toronto Star do the right thing? A representative said it was a small percentage of cops that have to be exposed and seriously investigated... and Blair should forward his resignation. Although it might not be accepted.

Barbara Kay makes some valid points about the police, such as in Caledonia. However, during G20 and basically any protest where the left and union leaders are present you can count on cameras. The police know that. But too often pictures are taken of the police battling back.

An officer said that a hundred or more protesters swarmed some cops when they were trying to subdue someone, many were hit with placards — he was hit with a placard and received a gash on his arm. Where were the cameras? If police are hit I believe they are allowed to protect themselves and arrest the persons.

Frankly, I fault Miller, McGuinty and Chief Blair for not acting on the first day of G20. And, I fault the federal government for taking on the G8 & G20 the same time. A lesson learned.

In teenhood, mere days after I got my licence, I was pulled over while driving. My law-abiding heart thumping furiously, I asked the officer why he had stopped me. He mildly informed me that I hadn't come to a full stop before continuing across an intersection, and sent me on my way with a caution.

My query as to why he had stopped me didn't cause him to drag me out of the car, handcuff me, arrest me on fabricated charges and haul me off to the station, there to be stripped semi-naked with the compliance of four fellow officers, and locked up in shivering humiliation for hours: all of which happened to innocent makeup artist Stacy Bonds in Ottawa two years ago.

Which we only know because it was caught on video. Did such barbarisms happen in my day when there were no cameras to record them? Was I just lucky? I don't believe that. I think there is systemic mission confusion in Canada's policing industry, of which Bonds' case is an extreme example, perhaps, but not an anomaly.

As a woman, Bonds received wide, sympathetic coverage. Less publicized was a more savage police attack on a male victim, albeit one already in custody. In 2009, constable Desmond Sandboe viciously attacked 33-year-old Andrew Clyburn at the Lac La Biche RCMP detachment in northern Alberta. Clyburn's alleged "provocation" was to correct the pronunciation of his name. It too was all caught on video. (These officers must be stupid as well as sadistic. Surely they know where the video cameras are in their stations? If they know and don't fear repercussions, what does that tell us about police culture?)

In the video Sandboe is seen attacking the passive Clyburn like a feral animal. Several other officers calmly stand and watch the 40-second battering. (They were not charged with failing to protect a man in their custody.) Clyburn was left in a cell with blood flowing and no medical attention for hours.

Need anything more be said about unilingual Polish immigrant Robert Dziekanski, who died after being Tasered in 2007 at Vancouver International Airport by four RCMP agents, or about the attempted cover-up of their bizarre over-aggression? Thankfully it was caught by civilian video.

Then there was Adam Nobody, a protester at the June G20 summit, taken down and beaten by purposely unbadged Toronto cops for Nobody's presumed mockery when he identified himself (Nobody is his legal name).

Too many incidents of police brutality have surfaced in recent years to call them isolated. But brutality is only the extreme end of a spectrum of enforcement malaise. Police seem to have lost sight of their mission in society. Either they are getting bad or ambiguous or no direction from above. Uncertain of their function, they frequently underreact or overreact.

We saw both in the case of David Chen, the Toronto grocer who "arrested" an inveterate thief of his merchandise. The police had failed to protect Chen's business (underreaction), and then overreacted against Chen when he exposed their ineptness (he was charged with kidnapping, but properly found not guilty in October).

In another recently publicized case of overreaction, conservation officer Graham Ridley of Ontario's Ministry of Natural Resources for five days staked out Canadian Forces major Mark Tijssen, who butchers his own pork according to higher standards than the industry demands. Ridley's object was to catch him violating a 2005 regulation forbidding home-dressed meat from leaving one's property, a regulation Tijssen (and 99% of other people) was unaware of. When Ridley saw a friend of Tijssen walk out with a gift package of meat, Ridley had Tijssen's home raided by a veritable SWAT team rather than simply cautioning him for next time.

Most alarmingly, we saw disgusting underreaction in the years-long nightmare of Caledonia -- "the town that law forgot" -- when militants from the Six Nations reserve terrorized local inhabitants with racist (anti-white) police complicity. In this case, individual policemen cannot be faulted for directives that came from the top. (Then) OPP Commissioner Julian Fantino's head should have rolled over Caledonia, and his political credibility been forever shredded.

The same goes for Ontario Premier McGuinty.

"Heads will roll." That's an expression I used to hear a lot when I was growing up. I'd hear it following incidents in the public service that offended citizens' sense of decency and our pride in Canada as a country of peace and order. Real guillotines sow terror. Political guillotines restore public confidence. Time to oil the rusty wheels of our law-enforcement tumbrils.

A Toronto Star editor mentions Prime Minister Stephen Harper but excludes the Left who were in power of the city and province...
This should not be the end of the story, however. What happened on the weekend of June 26-27 in our city was not the fault of one police officer -- or, for that matter, of one police chief. Plenty of others were involved, including the RCMP (who were in charge of security at the summit), the provincial government (which promulgated the so-called secret law expanding police powers), and Prime Minister Stephen Harper (who reportedly gave marching orders to senior bureaucrats to crack down hard on any protesters who got out of line).

What the bureaucrats were out there with clubs? Our Prime Minister likely just wanted to make sure that things were being taken care of, that's why so much money was spent for protection. But Chief Blair along with maybe the RCMP head were not with it.

And how about Premier Squinty McGuinty? And how about Mayor Miller? The police should've cracked down on day one when the extremists started the damage. Whod does Blair report to again?

I believe that people have the right to protest... but it was as if they were waiting for action. OFL President Sid Ryan surely was.

Your problem is that you come to the police's defense reflexively, without putting police behaviour in context. Don't you realize that the police, along with other government officials, don't have to obey the law?

That's why our Charter has become a farce. The enforcers protect themselves. There's no way for individual citizens to make officials accountable except by appealing to officials. And officials are ... well ... part of the club.

In this case, Dalton McGoof and his gang of graftsters cleared the way for these brutal actions which the police, having no notion that the law applies to them, eagerly enforced -- overtime for days!

The cabinet broke the Constitution, the basic law, without even thinking about it. They created a law that nobody knew about, which hadn't been endorsed by Parliament, and which deprived people of their liberty. Who even thinks of holding these lying politicians accountable?

And, of course, ordinary Canadians are gutless when it comes to defending other people's civil rights. They aren't even very good in defending their own rights. I say, gutless. Either that, or they react like cheerleaders for the coppers, presumably hoping that the police will some day dispense a favour to them.

The coppers took their name tags off their uniforms -- do you think they could do this without the brass's assent? -- and looked for excuses to bash some heads. They meant to lay some beatings on people. These incidents happened half a mile from the G20 meetings, and seem to have been without legal justification or provocation. What legal reason did the police have for attacking Adam Nobody, for instance? Hmmm? Walking on the grass?

[Perhaps you have forgotten that Queens Park was an area where the protesters were allowed to demonstrate -- at least, that's what they lying officials told them.]

Back when we had law enforcement that was objective, and professional, the idea was that the police were entitled to use as much force as was necessary to effect an arrest. Now, they just administer a thrashing to anyone that they like, without any reason to even make an arrest.

The police, and the courts that back them up, are contemptible.

Here's another example:

Quote:

A former member of the Niagara Parks Commission has asked the Ontario Provincial Police to investigate alleged wrongdoing at the Crown agency, but the OPP says it will not do so without a request from Niagara police or the provincial government.

The OPP’s position has “flabbergasted” Bob Gale, a former commissioner and one-time police officer, who says Niagara Regional Police are “too close” to the parks commission to conduct an impartial investigation. [....]

Mr. Gale, whose complaints about an untendered lease for the Maid of the Mist tour boat operation in 2008 prompted an ongoing Globe and Mail investigation and subsequent provincial overhaul of the agency, said these local links led him to bypass Niagara police and call the OPP anti-rackets branch on Nov. 26.

The branch has a corruption unit whose mandate is “to investigate reported allegations of corruption involving the business activities within provincial and municipal government, ministries, and their agencies,” according to the OPP website.

Mr. Gale said he called the OPP to report an alleged forgery, an unexplained disappearance of funds and other anomalies he learned about as a commissioner between 2006 and 2009, but was told to call Niagara Regional Police.

This is how it works. Officials can steal, if they like. This particular bit of corruption has been going on for years, but officialdom has protected its own.

Another example: Think of Michael Bryant, the guy who committed a road-rage homicide on the streets of Toronto, and fled the scene, but who, as a government official, didn't even have to appear in court! You try that and see what happens, and perhaps you'll be see the difference in the treatment the ordinary citizen gets, as opposed to officials.

Not reflexively. As a matter of fact I will be having Chirstmas dinner with a detective-sergeant, well educated, and a best-selling author. Larry King interviewed him. The converstation will likely come up to politics, G20 and Chief Blair, because he reads my weblog, when he has the time.

And it seems, from your tone, Bugs, you have had a run in with the police or someone you are related to had a skirmish. Of course, there are a few rogues, as there are in every profession.

Long ago, in my teens, an officer busted me in the eye. Received a few stitches. I never reported him, because the fellows that I associated were local street gang types, pool hall toughies. One of them brandished a weapon to a billiiard hall, searching for some other toughie, and someone mentioned my name, that I knew the fellow.

I was never there and hardly knew the fool. And after everything was explained the officer apologized. I syill have a scar for a reminder. But... I hung around in a rough area. Something was going to happen.

And that is not much different with protesters, who know there might be trouble.

The way I look at it, thank goodness there are police forces. And the odd bandit will be found and punished. There are bandiits and tioughies who join the force, because the badge seems to allow the few of them power until...

And Michael Bryant may have over-reacted, but he felt threatened. I agree with the verdict. There are many good guys in the business, but there are also many bicycle couriers who are thieves and thugs. I lost an expensive bicylce in front of my office. The couriers sussed a place out and called there buddies. A newspaper truck looked as if it was dropping off newspapers, but.... they were loading bikes and shipping them off to Quebec.

Reliable source corroborated my opinion of Chief Blair. He is a Liberal, thinks that way... and was indecisive with G20 protests and action. He flip-flopped. And wasn't forthcoming when the media questioned the excessiveness by a few cops, and the name plates.

Fantino would have spoken up even if he was wrong. He would have said so. He faced the media regarding Caledonia. Which by the way, I think he and the premier were wrong in not arresting some First Nations thugs.

Should Blair be replaced? What can they do? Fine him? Leave of absence? What will Bob Ford do? Perhaps get rid of the board?

The Problem is that THE Police and RCMP have had free rain to do what ever they please to who ever they please now for so long that they don't even care about beatings, threats assaults and more. As it is so common they feel they have it as a RIGHT !

They also see the world as cops and all others.

All others are Criminals and attacked at every chance

They mis-place all evidence against them or other cops

Why here in Vancouver One RCMP dog cop actully Ran A Man Down with his SUV live on the Global Morning News as there chopper was right over head with live feed rolling!

I personally have be attack at GUN point by 7 or 8 RCMP on the street in Burnaby, they did this in front of witnesses and at gun point BREAKING my Shoulder then standing on with a broken Shoulder, It was also all videoed !

These Gangsters with Badges are a VERY big problem for all Canadians as almost none are safe from these THUGS with Badges!

There are some policeman who are thugs and basically bandits with badges but most do good work in a hard job. It might not be or look hard until something happens that most of us would run and hide from.

Long ago, in my teens, I was hanging around with a few low-level teens at a certain pool-hall, and got busted in the eye by a cop. One of the idiots that I new smashed somebody in the mouth with a rifle, because the fellow wouldn't tell him where somebody was that he wanted to send a message to. Just great. And I shot pool at this hall and wasn't involved. They finally arrested the threat.

Nonetheless, thank goodness we have police, even though I got bruised.

However, I do believe in strong rules observed by the police and commissions.

Frankly, I wasn't bothered that a Toronto policeman shoved a taser to a bad guy's balls, recently. If anything the cop ought to be removed to a desk job or handing out tickets for being so stupid to do that so he could be seen and heard.

I have plastic eyes and plastic teeth as well as part of my upper jaw, and neck injuries thanks to the 152 div in Toronto and the New Glasgow Nova Scotia Police, who thought they should attack me lots of witnesses to both Hundreds!

I have a broken Shoulder I got at the hands of the Burnaby RCMP at Gun point !
With the people standing in their front yards watching them, they have no fear what so ever of being accountable, with good reason as they are not !

Cops are very good at stopping cabbies - see it quite often. Poor under paid overworked drudges trying to make a living get hit for huge fines 'speeding' in 'community safety zones' near schools and such. If the concern was with 'community safety' should not the signs be noticeable? They are not. The police in Ontario are reduced to being revenue collectors for McGuinty.

As for G20, criminal charges should be laid for the theft of hundreds of millions of dollars. Flaherty's assertion that 'it's the price of playing in the big leagues' is pure garbage.

The above reads like somebody seems either to be in the wrong place at the wrong time or was a protester? Perhaps more than that.

Those of the G20 should have known something was going to happen as it usually does... but the union leader organized a protest anyway. Normally I do not mind approved protests but that one forget about it. However, McGuinty was basically ill-prepared and not competent enough.

And how come I rarely see the problem with cabbies or read about that. if they are speeding in school zones they should double the fine.

The comments seem to be more than just picking on the police, they come across as anarchists bitching in the guise of conservative values on a conservative forum.

I have plastic eyes and plastic teeth as well as part of my upper jaw, and neck injuries thanks to the 152 div in Toronto and the New Glasgow Nova Scotia Police, who thought they should attack me lots of witnesses to both Hundreds!

I have a broken Shoulder I got at the hands of the Burnaby RCMP at Gun point !
With the people standing in their front yards watching them, they have no fear what so ever of being accountable, with good reason as they are not !

Those of the G20 should have known something was going to happen as it usually does... but the union leader organized a protest anyway.

So? Freedom to protest should be unassailable.

Quote:

Normally I do not mind approved protests but that one forget about it. However, McGuinty was basically ill-prepared and not competent enough.

So, at times you want free speech restricted. Ok , like this time. Sad really. But the protests are blamed on Mcguinty? He does not control the police, the rcmp or anyone in CSIS. (and mcguinty for the record is a complete dolt)

Quote:

The comments seem to be more than just picking on the police, they come across as anarchists bitching in the guise of conservative values on a conservative forum.

And your protection, or ability to vanquish the problems of the police with a wave of your hand is troubling.

You said, and I will ask if you meant it, that protests should be restricted by police goons?

The Police have been travelling down the wrong path for a long time. Yes, plenty of those men are good officers, however far too many arent. And the ones that are do not expose the ones that dont.

We all get perks in opur respective jobs, and I am ok with that. But at some point one has to stand up and enough is enough.

Tor Police for instance, if you ran every cops drivers licence, what would you find? DO you honestly think that a normal survey of tickets, impaireds etc would be found? No, not on your life. And any policeman will tell you how cops like to drink.

But the blatant allownace of the politicization and revenue generating of policing is the problem. New law this, new law that, all the while eroding your rights. The so called racing law, where in fact you dont have to be racing, you lose your car for 7 daysm suspended licence, and yet.....not challengable in court? Strikes me as wrong.

The comfy arrangement betw OPP and MADD. Infuriates me. They were the impetus behind the .05 law we now have....again one cannot go to court on this one either. What , next year it will be .04? Because as we all know, it generates revenue. I would have no problem at all if the law was changed to be 0.00 BAC. There, no ambiguity, no problem no excuses. You drink...you dont drive. But no, we wopuldnt catch as many as we do now, impounding , process fees the whole shebang.

As for Fantino? The worst cop in this country. How he is considered a candidate for office let alone how he can live with himself is stupifying. He should have been fired and stripped of his ability to be a policeman when he served in London. Even one of his partners has said the very same thing.

Toronto Centre... Fantino in my books is okay, everybdoy has some faults. I agree he could have handled the Caledonia situatuion far better, but that was a Squinty McGuinty decision.

I have friends in senior and important ranks in the police force and RCMP, it isn't easy. There have been times that the higher-ups were questionable. And there are officers in the lower ranks that push the enevelope occasionally. Hopefully, things will change for the better.

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